Chifley

An assessment of population growth drivers in Chifley reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, Chifley's population is approximately 2,707, reflecting a 1.0% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 2,680 people. This growth is inferred from an estimated resident population of 2,698 in June 2024 and the addition of 44 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density stands at 1,702 persons per square kilometer, exceeding the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 85.7% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are used, also based on 2022. Future population dynamics indicate a decline by 144 persons to 2,563 by 2041, with specific age cohorts projected to grow; notably, the 85 and over age group is expected to increase by 35 people.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Chifley according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Chifley has seen approximately 14 new homes approved annually. Between financial years FY21 and FY25, around 71 homes were approved, with one more approved in FY26 so far. On average, over the past five financial years, about 1.7 new residents per dwelling have been recorded.

However, this has increased to 4.5 people per dwelling over the last two financial years. The average construction cost value of new homes is around $272,000. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Chifley has significantly less development activity, with a figure that is 67.0% below the regional average per person. New building activity comprises approximately 60.0% standalone homes and 40.0% townhouses or apartments.

With around 365 people per dwelling approval, Chifley indicates a developed market. Population projections suggest stability or decline, which should alleviate housing demand pressures and benefit potential buyers in the area.

Chifley has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 43rdth percentile nationally

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 13 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Woden Town Square Precinct Redevelopment, Woden Experiment Stage 2 - Public Realm & Active Travel Upgrades, Ivy by Morris (Section 54 Phillip), and Skye by Trilogy (Section 117 Phillip). The following list details those projects considered most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment performance in Chifley exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Chifley has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.2% as of September 2025, lower than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.6%. Employment grew by 1.7% over the past year.

Workforce participation was 70.3%, slightly below ACT's 72.5%. Only 12.9% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment were public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services.

Education & training was under-represented at 7.3%, compared to ACT's 9.6%. Limited local employment opportunities were suggested by the Census working population vs resident population count. In the 12 months prior, employment increased by 1.7% while labour force grew by 1.1%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Chifley's industry mix suggests local employment growth of 6.6% in five years and 13.5% in ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not consider localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The Chifley SA2's income level is among the highest in Australia according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in this region is $68,180 and the average income stands at $82,735. These figures compare with those of the Australian Capital Territory, which are $72,206 (median) and $85,981 (average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Chifley would be approximately $74,493 (median) and $90,396 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family, and personal incomes in Chifley all rank highly nationally, between the 85th and 90th percentiles. The distribution data shows that the $1,500 - $2,999 income bracket dominates with 30.8% of residents (833 people). This mirrors the region where 34.3% occupy this bracket. There is a substantial proportion of high earners in Chifley, with 38.1% earning above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the area. Housing accounts for 14.5% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 86th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Chifley displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Chifley, as recorded at the latest Census, consisted of 67.7% houses and 32.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Australian Capital Territory's figures of 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chifley stood at 32.3%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (35.2%) or rented (32.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,383, higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent figure for Chifley was $450, matching the Australian Capital Territory figure. Nationally, Chifley's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Chifley features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 64.2% of all households, including 28.1% couples with children, 25.6% couples without children, and 8.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 35.8%, with lone person households at 30.7% and group households comprising 4.7%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

The educational profile of Chifley exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Chifley's educational attainment exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 52.2% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 46.8%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 29.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.5%) and graduate diplomas (6.2%). Vocational pathways account for 22.9%, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 12.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.9% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.1% in primary, 7.9% in tertiary, and 5.9% pursuing secondary education.

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Chifley has ten active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by nine different routes that collectively facilitate 750 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents typically residing 223 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 82%, followed by bus at 8% and walking at 5%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 12.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 107 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 75 weekly trips per individual stop.

Chifley's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Chifley. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low among the general population, nearing the nation's average for older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (1,645 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 8.6 and 7.6% of residents respectively. Seventy-point-seven percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.2% across Australian Capital Territory. Working-age residents showed low chronic condition prevalence. The area had 16.0% of residents aged 65 and over (431 people), higher than the 14.1% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors were above average but ranked lower nationally than the broader population.

Chifley was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Chifley's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 30.9% born overseas and 26.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Chifley, comprising 40.0% of its population. Hinduism showed significant overrepresentation in Chifley at 8.1%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's average of 4.8%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (23.6%), Australian (20.8%), and Other (14.3%). Spanish, Serbian, and Croatian ethnicities had notable divergences in representation: Spanish was overrepresented at 0.8% compared to the regional average of 0.5%, Serbian at 0.7% versus 0.4%, and Croatian at 0.9%.

Chifley's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Chifley's median age is 37 years, slightly older than the Australian Capital Territory's 35 but aligned with the national average of 38 years. The 35-44 age group comprises 16.8% of Chifley's population, higher than the Australian Capital Territory's percentage, while the 15-24 cohort makes up 11.3%. Between 2021 and the present, the 35-44 age group has increased from 15.2% to 16.8%, whereas the 45-54 age group has decreased from 12.3% to 10.9%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Chifley. The 85+ age cohort is projected to increase by 23 people (39%) from 60 to 84. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 92% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 0-4 and 15-24 age groups are expected to decrease in number.